Gas producer



Nov. 6, 1923.. F. E. MODLIN GAS PRODUCER Filed June l. 1922 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 TNodZa'n.

I H1 av n 1 m a Nov. 6, 1923. BAWBE@ F. E. LIN v Nov. 6, R923. v LMSE@ A F. E. MODLIN I GAS PRODUCER Filed June l. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lati-ldt@ @ldlll FRANK E. MODLN, F ST. JOSEPH, lll/IISSOU'RI.

GAS PRODUCER.

Application led June l,

T0 all whom t ma?,Il concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK liioDLiN, a citizen the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of ll/lissouri, have invented certain new and useful improvements in 'Gas Producers, of which the following is s aecification.

My invention relates to improvements in gas producers and its main object is to provide a retort or machine of this class that is of simple construction and neat appearance, very compact and has such small dimensions that it may be used, notonly as a stationary plant, but also used conveniently on atractor for supplying motive force to its engine.

Another obj ect resides in the factv that the machine delivers the resulting;l gas vin a pure and highly refined condition having' had all tar, oil, or other impurities washed away during the process of generation.

Another object is to provide a gas producer, that utilizes an inferior quality of coalA` such as bituminous or'lignite coal and produces a first cla-ss gas.

In the accompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and- Figure l shows a vertical section of the gas producer;

Fig?. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section along line 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in larger scale along line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a vertical section along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

This gras producer consists of a furnace with an inclined grate 11 at the bottom, supported on an angle bar 12 secured at the rear of. the furnace and on a transverse rail 13 secured'near the :front thereof in the base 14. This rail` 1 3 is spaced slightly back of the frontwall 15 of the base and connected therewith by means of a number of short grate bars 16 and above this rail` is a door 17 for removing clinkers. The base 14 contains an ash pit 1S to which leads an opening 19 closed by a door 20 provided with adjustable draft apertures 21 for regulating; the draft in the furnace.

The furnace is surrounded on three sides by a water jacket formed. by double walls 22 at the rear of the furnace and double walls 23 at each end thereof. The jacket formed on these three sides of the furnace is filled with water through a cock 24 provided near i922. serial ne. 565,253.

the upper endthereof s0 as to produce a water lineindicatedby Win Fig. l approximately three-fourths of the height from the bottom of the jacket, The heat in the furnace will cause this water to evaporate and the steam formed above the water line may be drawn off through a pipe 25 opening below the grate 11 into the ash pit, as at 26, and a cock 27 is provided on this pipe 25 for communicating; with the steam chamber at the top of the jacket.

The entire front and a part of the top of the furnace, which is slantingrearwardly as at 28, is covered by a tank 29 containing water and forming a filteringchamber for the gas.' As best seen in Fig. 1 the furnace, together with the water jacket 22 and the tank 29, is secured in the base 14 by means of securing bolts 30 to form a rigid construction.

The upper part of the tank is provided with a grating or sieve 3 1 and upon this sieve is deposited a scrubbing material, such as excelsior or wood shavings 32. The scrubbing material is held in position by means of a screen 33 to prevent it from rbeing drawn out through the delivery -pipe 34 for the gas. This pipe is secured in the lid 35 which is held down over the upper part of the tank, as at 36,`by means of bolts or rivets. As will be seen in Fin. 1 the sieve or grating 31 is placed slightly below the top plate 37 of the furnace. This is done for the purpose of delivering heat to the scrubbing material through the wall 28 of the furnace and to heat the compartment in which the scrubbing material 32 is deposited. l

ln the top plate 37 is provided an opening 38 above which is secured a dome 39 adapted to collect the gases produced in the furnace. From this dome 39 a large tube 4() runs downwardly to the lower end of the tank 29 where it opens into a transverse pipe 41 secured in tbe tank. The opposite end of the pipe is closed, but its upper side is provided with perforations 42 tor,r the fras coming down from the furnace into the latter. In order to compel thepgas to take this course an exhauster 43, preferably consisting of a vacuum pump, is inserted in the tube and this pump may be driven in any suitable manner, as by a belt 44 actuated bv `an engine.

,'Water is supplied to the tank 29 through a pipe 45 opening; at the bottom of the tank Y This pipe 46 leads into a seal box 47 of may be rotated by hand or by a governor and the flovy Of'Water is regulated in anyv suitable manner so that the Water line7 as at L, is formed a short distance below the sieve 31. An exhaust pipe 46 situated With its axis in the water line is intended to remove all impurities floating on the Water.

. onA the engine for automatically feeding coal into the furnace. The rotating drum 50 has four radial arms 51 connected. by a cylindrical outer Wall 52 and preferably positioned at right angles toV each other to form between them four sector-shaped compartments of equalsize.. In this manner four sections are provided ivhichkare open attop and bottom. The drum rests on a bottom plate -53 yof the box y48 which is Arigidly supported any suitable manner at the top of the furnace. The roof or top plate 54 of the box has a' central boss 55v for the spindle 49 and is held down on spacing columns 56Y by means of nuts 1and stud bolts 57 tapped into the upper ends of the columns and betvveen the nuts and the roof plate 54 are inserted compression springs 58 for pressing the roof plate against the drum 50. In this manner the roof plate 54 is held in position Without giving undue pressure against the drum and this pressure can be regulated by means of thenuts 57. Y Theroof plate 54 has a sector -shaped aperture 59 at one side of the spindle. This aperture is of the sameygsize as each compartment lformed in the drum betweenthe arms 51. The bottom plate 53 has corresponding'. aperture 60 ofthe same size and` is situated on the opposite side of the spindle 49 and opens into a chute 61 entering throughthe aeket 22 to deliver coal into the furnace. This chute. 61 ispreferably widened at its lower end*as vseen at '62,r in Fig. y2,V to facilitate the `droppingout of the coal.V A

The inclination of thefgrate 11 is approximately 30 fand in this'mann'er a coal bed will be provided in the furnace ofsubstantially uniform thickness above the `grate, as seen inyFig. 1. y d

The gas producer is used in the following manner.: The jacket 22 is filled with ivater until 4a level is reached, as indicated by ,W in Fig. 1. Similarly the tank 29 is yfilleduntil the Water lreaches a little below 'the Vlevel marked L. It should here be noted that the tank 29is entirely independentuofthe tva-ter jacket and that there is no communicatin between the two; ln case lformed in the furnace,V the pump 43 the furnace is ventirely empty the vfilling is Vbin either b hand or b automatic deliver7 and if the compartment in the drum beneath the hopper is empty it Will be immediately filled from the hopper While the other three pockets remain empty. By revolving the drum a quarter turn the'lilled compartment Will leave the hopper land the 'drumrivill `present another empty compartment beneath Vthe hopper Which is in turn filled. By again turning the drum the same amount, the first filled compartment :will then register kwith the chute 61and deliver its contents inte the same; While the secondcompartment ufill be closed by 'the vtopv and botto-m plates of the box 48; and the third empty compart-V ment presented under the hopper 67. As soon as this third compartment is filled the drum is again revolved and the first filled compartment ivill be Vturned away empty from the chute and the' second compartment deliver its contents into the chute Whilethe drum presents the fourth empty compart-v mentunder the hopper Y67. n This operation is repeated until a sufficiently high coal bed is produced in the furnace Which is now lit and the draft'regulated by means of the ash door 20., l

Then sufficient heaty is produced in the furnace, gas forms in the upper part thereof and enters into the'dome 39; At the same time the Water jacket '22 and the tank 29 will be heated and steam produced in both. The steam from the Water jacket imay new be permitted to run into the ash pit through the pipe 25 to facilitate disintegration of the coal and production of gas. As soon as the water in the tank 29 is 'sulficiently hot and a quantity of gas has been 1s started to draw off the gasfroniv vthe dome 39 and conduct itV into the perforated tube 4l to deliver the same at the bottom of the tank. f This gas will noiv percolate through the hot Water in the tank Q9 audrise tothe surfacetherein. WhileY the impurities, such as oil and tar, will be removed from the gas by the hot Water andfloat on 'top of the Water to be taken out-from theY tank by theV pipe 46jfor further use. At the same time the purified. gas 'will rise through the sieve 31 and pass through the scrubbing material 32 for drying` and ultimately collect into the delirerypipe 34. Freni there it might be conducted into a reservoir or led directly to Van engine for immediate consumption.

On account'rof the suction created by. the pump 43 all-of the collec-ted at lthe top of the furnace Will he drawn into the donie 39 and the tube 40 but none. of it will rise through the hopper 61 into the box 48. Should, however7 a small part of the gas happen to enter into the Vbox 48 before Vthe izo pump has been started, this gas cannot escape to the atmosphere as the box 1s always sealed by means of the drum as there is no direct connection between the chute and the bottom opening with the top opening 59 at any time or with any position of the drum, nor can atmospheric air enter through the seal. As already mentioned the drum may be revolved by hand and the use ofan ordinary wrench attached to the spindle 49; or by means of an engine and a governor, thereby making the delivery of coal automatic. i

The water in the tank 29 is sufficiently heated to dissolve all impurities in the gas entering the bottom of the tank as the latter receives heat directly from the furnace through the front wall and inclined upper wall 28 thereof. The scrubbing material 32 is also sufficiently heated from the furnace so that the gas passing through the same is completely dried.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In a gas producer having a furnace; a gas filtering tank covering one side and a portion of the top of said furnace and containing water, a. water filled jacket enclosing the other sides of the furnace, and means including a perforated pipe near the bottom of said tank for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, said gas filtering tank being adapted to be heated 'by the furnace. .e

2. In a gas producer having a furnace; a gas ltering tank covering one side and a portion of the top of said furnace and the intervening walls being common for the furnace and the tank, the latter containing water, a water filled jacket enclosing the other sides ofthe furnace, means including` a perforated pipe in the tank for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, said gas filtering tank being adapted to be heated by the furnace, said tank being partly funnel-shaped and provided with a sieve at its enlarged upper end, and a screen spaced aboves'aid sieve forming a scrubbing compartment above said sieve and a filtering chamber below the same.

3. ln gas producer having a furnace; a gas filtering tank covering one side and a portion of the top of said furnace and containing water, a water filled jacket enclosing the other sides of the furnace, means for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, said means including a gas dome on the furnace, a perforated pipe in said tank adjacent the bottom thereof, and a. tube between said dome and said pipe.

4. In a gas producer having a furnace; a filtering tank covering one side and a portion of the top of saidfurnace and containing water, a water filled jacket enclosing the other sides of the furnace, means for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, said means including a gas dome on the furnace, a perforated pipe in said tank adjacent the bottom thereof, a tube between said dome and said pipe, and an eXhauster in said tube.

5. In a. gas producer having a furnace; a gas filtering tank covering one side and a portion of the top of said furnace and containing water, a water filled jacket enclosing the other sides of the furnace, means for delivering gas from the furnace,a into said filtering tank, said gas filtering tank being adapted to be hea-ted by the furnace, said tank being funnel-shaped and provided with a sieve at its enlargedv upper end, a screen spaced above said sieve forming a scrubbing compartment above said sieve and a filtering chamber below they same, said compartment being filled with scrubbing material such as wood shavings, said chamber being filled with a liquid forming the filtering material, a conduit above said screen adapted to collect the purified gas, said means including a gas dome on the furnace, a perforated pipe in said tank adjacent the bottom thereof, a tube between said dome and said pipe, and an eXhauster in said tube.

6. In a gas producer having a furnace; a filtering tank covering one side and a portion of the top of said furnace and containing water, a water filled jacket enclosing the other sides of the furnace, means including a perforated pipe in said tank for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, a charging device for the furnace situated above and to one side thereof including a revoluble drum having a plurality ofpockets open at top and bottom, stationary top and bottom cover plates for said pockets, said cover plates each being provided with an aperture situated diametrically opposite each other and adapted to regi ster with one of said pockets respectively, and a chute widening downwardly and leading into said furnace and connecting with said aperture in the bottom cover plate, whereby upon one of said pockets being filled through said aperture in the top cover plate, another pocket will deliver fuel into said chute for the furnace.

7. ln a gas producer having a furnace; a

register with one of said pockets respec tively, a chute leading into said furnace and. connecting with said aperture in the bottom cover plate, whereby upon one of said pockets being filled Ithrough said aperture in the top cover plate, another pocket will deliver lil fuel into said chute for the furnace, means for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, saidvgas filtering tank being 'adapted to be heated by the'furnace, said tank being funnel-shaped and provided y with a sieve at its enlarged upper end, and a screen spaced above saidrsieve forming a scrubbing compartment above said sieveand a filtering chamber below theV same, said Vcompartment being filled with scrubbin material such as wood shavings and Ysai chamber being filled with a liquidformingV tom, stationary top and bottom cover plates for said pockets, said cover plates each being provided with an aperture situated diametrically opposite each other and adapted to register with one of said'poc-kets respectively, a chute leading into saidfurnace and connecting with said vaperture in the bottom cover plate, whereby upon kone of saidpockets being filled through said aperture in the top cover plate, another pocket will deliver f fuel into said chute for the furnace, means for delivering gas from the furnace into said filtering tank, said gas filtering tank being adapted to lbe heatedv by vvthe furnace, said tank being funnel-shaped and provided with a sieve at its enlarged upper end, a. screen spaced above said sieve forming a scrubbing compartment abo-ve said sieve and a filtering chamber below Vthe same, said compart-I ment being filled with scrubbing material such as wood shavings and 4said chamber being filled with a liquid forming the filtering material, and av pipe leading from the upper part of said Water. jacket into the ash pit of said furnace. Y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

rimini E. MoDLiN. 

